Atari Creep Posted November 18, 2016 Report Posted November 18, 2016 Just thought I would share a small/LARGE part of my childhood. Child World (the location pictured below in particular) was the main spot I got all my Star Wars, G.I. Joe and Atari items from. In fact I am almost sure that 90% of all my toys came from there. The place was HUGE! I miss going there, the building is still there and looks the same but is another retail store. The closed all doors in 1993 but I was able to make one more purchase there just before they closed, a Genesis game. (can't remember what title) If you want to know more click on the link. I find it to be interesting. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_World YouTube has a few cool T.V. spots from them too. Thanks all! Justin, Rowsdower70, RickR and 2 others 5 Quote Don't just watch TV, PLAY IT!
Justin Posted November 18, 2016 Report Posted November 18, 2016 Where I grew up Child World was called Children's Palace. I always saw it as an alternative to Toys R Us. They were slightly smaller, but not by much. A good comparison would be Home Depot and Ace Hardware. Children's Palace had the castle theme and was a bit more boutique than Toys R Us. I used to get some of my Atari games from there, as well as my Lego sets, Laser Tag and Teddy Ruxpin. If I remember correctly Children's Palace would have some of the more elaborate Lego sets that Toys R Us didn't always have. This would be the big cardboard box sets that would be a town, gas station with car wash, etc. I also remember them having a lot of giant stuffed animals that were probably kind of expensive. nosweargamer and Atari Creep 2 Quote
Rowsdower70 Posted November 18, 2016 Report Posted November 18, 2016 They didn't have this near me when I grew up. We didn't have Toys R Us for a long time. We had some neat proper glass store front stores in our mall, and I dearly miss those Christmas displays they'd set up. Atari Creep and Justin 2 Quote "For you - Rowsdower from the 70 - have been appointed Omnivisioner of the Game Grid." ~ Atari Adventure Square
Atari Creep Posted November 19, 2016 Author Report Posted November 19, 2016 Where I grew up Child World was called Children's Palace. I always saw it as an alternative to Toys R Us. They were slightly smaller, but not by much. A good comparison would be Home Depot and Ace Hardware. Children's Palace had the castle theme and was a bit more boutique than Toys R Us. I used to get some of my Atari games from there, as well as my Lego sets, Laser Tag and Teddy Ruxpin. If I remember correctly Children's Palace would have some of the more elaborate Lego sets that Toys R Us didn't always have. This would be the big cardboard box sets that would be a town, gas station with car wash, etc. I also remember them having a lot of giant stuffed animals that were probably kind of expensive. Thats funny because here in MA Child World was the go to toy store. Toys-R-Us and K.B. were the alternative. Although I remember KB Toys having better GoBots. haha Justin 1 Quote Don't just watch TV, PLAY IT!
Atari Adventure Square Posted November 19, 2016 Report Posted November 19, 2016 Oh man, dig that castle design! Reminds me of this mall toy store called Toy World which, in the late 60s, very early 70s, was the closest thing to child Nirvana I ever experienced, on every visit. Nothing new to the kid inside every one of us, but I'm sure those visits there sparked my life-long love of malls. I've been scouring old newspapers, ads, local libraries, just to find pics of the inside of that store, back then. If I ever seek a monk on a mountaintop, it will surely be to phase out the planet and access those memories, that existence, those Letrasets and Big Jim displays. Justin and The Professor 2 Quote
Atari 5200 Guy Posted November 21, 2016 Report Posted November 21, 2016 That's awesome! Brings back the memories of visiting the Kay B Toys in Battlefield Mall. There were a couple of others, too, but my memory can't remember the names of them. I remember Circus World where my 7800 came from but I don't remember much else. As for photos my Mom was not much for family photos so I have none. Quote
RickR Posted November 21, 2016 Report Posted November 21, 2016 Big Jim! Wow, haven't heard that name in years. Quote
nosweargamer Posted November 21, 2016 Report Posted November 21, 2016 Where I grew up Child World was called Children's Palace. I always saw it as an alternative to Toys R Us. They were slightly smaller, but not by much. A good comparison would be Home Depot and Ace Hardware. Children's Palace had the castle theme and was a bit more boutique than Toys R Us. I used to get some of my Atari games from there, as well as my Lego sets, Laser Tag and Teddy Ruxpin. If I remember correctly Children's Palace would have some of the more elaborate Lego sets that Toys R Us didn't always have. This would be the big cardboard box sets that would be a town, gas station with car wash, etc. I also remember them having a lot of giant stuffed animals that were probably kind of expensive. Yup. Children's Palace! I remember the catchy TV jingle (Children's Palace - That's Where It's At!): It felt more like a toy warehouse inside compared to Toys R Us. And the video games were right in the front and you could flip through boxes instead of the card system. I recall seeing Superman on the NES and River Raid 2 for the 2600 there. I also saw a Wonder Boy in Monster World for the Genesis, but I can't remember if I bought it there. I might have when they had a going out of business sale. I also recall some special sets, such as a GI Joe 2 vehicle set I bought on clearance that including two extra, random figures. You didn't see these at regular stores. Also, I once found a vintage Human Torch Mego figure on the shelf in the clearance section, well after it's run. Where else could you find a toy that was discontinued 5-10 years earlier? Justin and RickR 2 Quote The No Swear Gamer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChtJuo040EOCTVziObIgVcg Host of The Atari 7800 Game by Game Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher and YouTube
RickR Posted November 21, 2016 Report Posted November 21, 2016 (edited) That place looks awesome. I love the castle motif. Out here, we had a whole bunch of one-off mom and pop toy stores. We had KB Toys at the malls. And the big dog was Toys R Us. I was just explaining to my teenage son the other day that TRU used to have a cage where you picked up your game after purchasing it (using a paper ticket)...and how that job of working the cage seemed like the most awesome-super-duper-ohmygod job in the world to a 10 year old kid. The Toys R Us that I got a ton of my Atari games from back in the 80's is actually still here -- same building and location. Very close to where I live now. But the cage is long gone (except in my memory). Edited November 21, 2016 by RickR Quote
Arenafoot Posted November 22, 2016 Report Posted November 22, 2016 (edited) We had a Lionel Playworld in Gretna, LA and a Children's Palace in Marrero, LA along with toys available at Woolco, Woolworth, Gaylord's, Zayre's, TG&Y in the 80's. We did not have a Toys R Us until late 80's maybe early 90's. I would say a good 90% of my toys came from Lionel Playworld. I can still remember buying my Cloak and Dagger board game, most of my Vectrex carts, Hot Wheels, Matchbox cars, etc from Playworld. Edited November 22, 2016 by Arenafoot Justin 1 Quote Brian Matherne - owner/curator of "The MOST comprehensive list of Atari VCS/2600 homebrews ever compiled." http://tiny.cc/Atari2600Homebrew author of "The Atari 2600 Homebrew Companion" book series available on Amazon! www.amazon.com/author/brianmatherne
Mcorleonep Posted October 18, 2017 Report Posted October 18, 2017 Where I grew up, there was Toys R Us and Child World close by but this was the place all the kids wanted to go to... Quote
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